Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1887-05-04
GENERAL GRANTS ENGLISH.

Mark Twain Defends the Hero Against
Matthew ArnoIsl's Criticisms.
At the Army and Navy Clubs celebra-
tion of General Grants birthday in Hart
ford, Ct, Mark Twain delivered the fol-
lowing address, which brought down the
house:
will detain you with only just . few words
just few thousand words--and then give
llace to better man-if he has been created.
Lately q great and honored author, Matthew
Arnold, has been finding fault with General
Grants English That would be fair enough,
glish averaged more instances to the page
In General Grants book than they do In Mr..
Arnolds criticism upon the book, but they
fair enough, may be be. Il such instances were
commoner in General Grants book than they
are in the works OF the average standard author,
but they aren't. In truth, General Grants der
elections In the matter OF grammar and con-
etruction are not more frequent than are such
dereictions In the works OF majority OF the
time-authors as exclusively and painstakinaly
trained to the literary trade as vas General
Grant TO the trade OF war. In Mr.. Arnoids
Of grammatical crimes and more than several
examples Of crude and slovenly English. The
following passage is . fair ILLUSTRATION:
Meade suggested to Grant that he might
wish TO have immediately under him Sherman,
who had been serving with Grant in the West.
He begged him not TO hesitate II he thought 1t
that he bad no thought Of moving him. and in
his memoirs. after relating what had passed. he
adds" etc.
ITO read that passage . couple OF times would
make a man dizzy; to read It four times would
make him drunk
People may hunt out what microscopic motes
they please. but, after all, the fact remains and
cannot be dislodged that General Grants book
Is great and, in its peculiar department. unique
and unapproachable literary masterp ece In
their line there Is no higher literature than those
modest. simple me moirs. Their style 10 at least
great books are weighed and measured by their
style and matter, not by the trimmings and
shadiugs OF their grammar. There Is that about
the sur which makes us forget his spots. aud
whom we think of Gen. Grant our pulses quicken
and his grammar vauishes we only re member
OF the silken phrase makers, linked words to-
gether with an art SURPRISING the art Of the
schools, and put into them d something which
will still bring to American ears as long as
America shall last the roll Of his vanished
prums and the tread tf mis- marching hosts.
Tumultuous applause.
~ hat do We care for grammar when We think
OF the man that put together that thunderous
phrase, Unconditional and imm sdfnte suEron-
der. and those others, 4 propose 10 move Inn
medtately upon your works, propose 70 night
II out on this line IL IL takes oil sunimerr ZAP.
that last sentence Is not strictly grammatical: /:
and yet nevertheless. II did certainly wake up
this nation as q hundred million tons Of Al
fourth proof, hard boiled, hide-bound grammar
from another mouth could not have done. And,
finally, We have that Gentler phrase-that one
which shows yon another true side Of tho man: !:
shows that In his soldier heart there was room
for other than CORY war notices, and In his
tongue the gift to fitly praise them-'Ie US have
peace" Prolonged applause and cheering.